A Study In Sleep
by SecretTwin
Summary: A film crew is interested in couples' sleeping routines. Confused, but intrigued, Sherlock and John learn that an outside eye might not be so intrusive in their private life. Script format.


**So there are these adorable videos on youtube about couples and how they sleep.**

 **Why did I think of my OTP? The world will never know.**

 **I do not own characters from BBC Sherlock.**

Note: VO: Voice Over, o.s.: Off Screen

* * *

"COUPLES PROJECT"

FADE IN:

 **INT. WHITE ROOM**

John and Sherlock sit in customary interview chairs. The camera focuses on them, blurring out, then sharp. Sherlock taps on phone. John brushes off a makeup artist.

JOHN: I'm all set, thanks.

He nudges Sherlock's leg with his knee. Sherlock rolls his eyes and pockets the phone.

SHERLOCK: I still don't understand.

DIRECTOR (o.s.): The project is about people's private lives. Your bedroom is an important room in any house.

SHERLOCK (swivels to John): Is it?

DIRECTOR: We'd like to think so.

Director passes in front of camera.

DIRECTOR CONT'D: You'll just look into the camera when you answer.

John fiddles with the mike pack in his belt.

JOHN: Have I got this right?

DIRECTOR: That's fine. Mike check? Paul?

PAUL (o.s.): Good to go.

John clears his throat and straightens. Sherlock eyes the lights warily. His fingers tap his knee.

DIRECTOR: Can you tell us your names and how you know each other?

Sherlock closes his eyes and shakes his head. John quirks eyebrow. They both face the camera.

JOHN: I'm John Watson.

He nudges Sherlock.

SHERLOCK (exasperated): My name is Sherlock Holmes.

He gestures.

SHERLOCK CONT'D: This is my husband. John Watson.

JOHN: We've been married five years six months.

SHERLOCK: Seven.

John turns, purses his lips. Sherlock twiddles his thumbs.

SHERLOCK: Wedding in August. It's March. That makes it seven.

John huffs, turns back to camera. His smile is too strained.

JOHN: Five years, seven months.

CUT TO:

 **INT. BEDROOM 8:30pm**

Overhead shot of their bed. Sherlock, in a blue dressing gown, on left. John, in white undershirt and dark pants, on right. John helps Rosie, curly blonde hair in a hot pink night dress, climb over his legs to the center of the mattress.

She points to ceiling.

ROSIE: What's that?

John glances up.

JOHN: It's going to watch us sleep tonight.

ROSIE: Is it spying on you?

Sherlock settles in beside them.

SHERLOCK: It's an experiment.

John grabs a book from the bedside table.

CUT TO:

 **INTERVIEW**

DIRECTOR: Is that your daughter in the footage?

The corner of John's mouth quirks up. Sherlock smiles.

JOHN: Erm, yeah. That's - that's our girl. Rosie.

DIRECTOR: How old is she?

JOHN: She's seven now.

SHERLOCK: She can finish an entire chapter book on her own.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM**

Rosie snuggles under the comforter, and grabs Sherlock's arm. She turns him so they both face John. Sherlock scoots them closer and his hand rests on John's stomach.

JOHN: All set?

They both nod.

John opens the book.

CUT TO:

 **INTERVIEW**

DIRECTOR: You read to her every night?

John glances at Sherlock. They silently agree.

JOHN: Yeah, just about every. Not always together.

SHERLOCK: Sometimes I come home late.

DIRECTOR: Tell me about your nightly ritual. When do you start getting ready for bed?

John gestures to Sherlock.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 9pm**

Rosie on her side, curled into Sherlock. Sherlock lays with one arm under his head, listening to John. He rubs a hand up and down her back.

VO/SHERLOCK: "Rosie must be in bed by 9 o'clock. She has a story and then it's up to bed. John relaxes for the night while I work until I am bored."

Sherlock eases out from under the comforter. John rolls to Rosie.

VO/JOHN: "Getting tired isn't getting bored."

John kisses Rosie's cheek and forehead and pets her wild hair.

VO/SHERLOCK: "It's boring when you're asleep.

Sherlock gathers Rosie into his arms. He carries her out of frame.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 9:30pm**

John enters frame from bathroom. Grabs book off night table, adjusts pillows behind his back. Settles in.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 10:30pm**

The lamp is off. The book lies open on his chest. He's curled into the pillows. A long shadow enters from the hallway.

Sherlock closes the door until just a crack of light is visible. He leans over John and kisses him.

Shuts bathroom door behind him. Light flicks on.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 11pm**

Sherlock climbs into bed with John.

VO/DIRECTOR: "How do you sleep together?"

CUT TO:

 **INTERVIEW**

John and Sherlock look at each other. They turn back to the camera.

Simultaneously.

JOHN: I have to have my side of the bed.

SHERLOCK: I like to be warm.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 11:46pm**

John snores lightly, back to Sherlock's. Sherlock is on his side, back to John, with his phone out.

He turns it off and sets it on the nightstand. He twists around and scoots closer to the center of the bed.

VO/JOHN: "He takes up the whole bed."

CUT TO:

 **INTERVIEW**

SHERLOCK (matter of factly): I am longer. I require more room.

JOHN (mutters): Bloody bedroom diva you are.

DIRECTOR: Do you cuddle any?

Sherlock glances at John.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 1am**

John rolls over, nudging Sherlock, slings one arm over his chest, chin resting on top of his head.

Sherlock lets out a sleepy huff, and slides his arm over John's waist. They wriggle into a more cosy position together. And lie still once more.

CUT TO:

 **INTERVIEW**

Sherlock dusts some invisible thread off his trousers.

SHERLOCK: I would say we do.

JOHN: We need a new mattress though. My back's not what it was.

Sherlock frowns.

SHERLOCK: What was it before?

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 1:30am**

Door opens. Hallway light floods in.

Rosie with a stuffed rabbit, tiptoes to Sherlock's side of the bed. She climbs in and snuggles next to his back.

Sherlock rubs his eyes and rolls away from John. He tugs the comforter over Rosie and kisses the top of her head.

VO/DIRECTOR: "Does she sneak in a lot?"

VO/SHERLOCK: "Not at all."

CUT TO:

 **INTERVIEW**

JOHN (scoffs): Every night.

SHERLOCK: Not every night.

John points to space off screen.

JOHN: What was that then?

SHERLOCK: You were asleep.

JOHN: You let her.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 3:30am**

Rosie is now between them, cuddled next to John.

John coughs and sits up. He rubs his lower back and stands. He hobbles out of the room.

Sherlock stretches out his arm and feels the empty space. He looks up and rolls away from Rosie. He slowly eases himself out of bed.

He pads out the room.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 3:45am**

Rosie curls up on John's side. Still asleep. The bed still empty.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 4:00am**

John and Sherlock return. John gathers Rosie up and he scoots her to Sherlock's side. He and Sherlock climb back onto his side. Sherlock spoons him and kisses his neck.

VO/DIRECTOR: "You keep her in bed with you?"

VO/JOHN: "Her bedroom's upstairs. She knows it's not worth it for us."

CUT TO:

 **INTERVIEW**

DIRECTOR: What's that half hour that you're away?

John licks his bottom lip. Sherlock watches him.

SHERLOCK (gentle): He worries.

JOHN: Now hang on, I don't worry.

SHERLOCK: It's only natural. He's our doctor.

DIRECTOR: What do you worry about?

JOHN (shrugs): Whatever I usually do at three in the morning.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 4:45am**

The family is sprawled all over, John in the middle. Rosie has the most room. Sherlock is squished to the very edge. His face is tucked under John's arm. John snores.

Rosie kicks in her sleep.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 5:30am**

The positions have switched. Now they are all squished near the edge. Both Rosie and Sherlock nearly on top of John. Sherlock's leg slung over his. Rosie's arm over his neck.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 6:30am**

Rosie stretches, yawns and climbs out of bed, leaving Sherlock and John. John's arm hanging off the bed.

The toilet flushes.

She tiptoes to Sherlock's side. Taps his shoulder. He snorts out of sleep and his head pops up.

VO/DIRECTOR (laughs): "She gets you up early then."

VO/SHERLOCK: "I am the morning person."

CUT TO:

 **INTERVIEW**

John leans into Sherlock

JOHN (murmur): You really have been wonderful.

Sherlock smiles.

JOHN CONT'D: Don't know what I'd do without you.

SHERLOCK: You'd be up at dawn like the rest of us.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 7am**

Rosie dances and bounces on the bed. Sherlock helps her with her night shirt. John watches from where he lays, head propped up on his arm.

VO/DIRECTOR: "What's your morning routine like?"

VO/JOHN: "I have to be in surgery by nine. We help get her ready."

Sherlock pins Rosie to the bed and tickles her. She shrieks with laughter.

VO/JOHN: "Try to anyway. Usually rushing out the door to get her to daycare."

CUT TO:

 **INTERVIEW**

DIRECTOR: After seeing the footage, why do you think your bedroom important to you?

Sherlock blinks.

SHERLOCK: Should I list alphabetically or chronologically?

John hides a laugh.

JOHN: It's... intimate. It's more of a family room for us than the actual living room.

SHERLOCK: I do believe it's the closest to a private life we will have.

John smiles gently. Rubs Sherlock's hand.

JOHN: Guess this wasn't such a waste of time then.

Sherlock shrugs.

SHERLOCK: Perhaps we can use the footage to analyze our sleeping patterns so we might break any unhealthy habits.

JOHN: That's... one way of putting it. Perhaps you can get Rosie to sleep in her own bed.

SHERLOCK: Oh no John. That's not possible.

CUT TO:

 **BEDROOM 8:30am**

John shuffles Rosie out of the room. Sherlock straightens his cuffs and collar.

JOHN (o.s): Come on! We're late.

Sherlock grabs his phone off the night table, gives one last glare at the camera on the ceiling. Then shuts the door behind him.

The sun peaks in through the curtains and spreads over the rumpled blankets.

FADE TO BLACK

* * *

 **I know this format is a bit different, but the idea in my head was very visual and I work better with scripts with a visual format.**

 **If you liked it, let me know in the comments.**


End file.
